Category Archives: Film Festivals

One World 2017 Overview

oneworld_posThe 19th edition of Prague’s One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival kicks off today, Monday, March 6 and runs through Wednesday, March 15. Over 100 new and recent documentary features will screen at the event, with some highlights noted below:

humanityAmong the titles in the Czech Competition are: Zuzana Piussi’s CZECH ALLAH, on Czech society’s response to Islam and the migrant crisis; Tomáš Kudrna’s IDA’S IDEA, about a woman’s Roma children’s choir; and Eva Tomanová’s I WON’T SELL MY SOUL, which explores the controversy of child surrogacy in the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, the International Competition includes such films as: Alexandre Dereims’ WE ARE HUMANITY (pictured), about the struggles of the indigenous people of a remote Indian Ocean island; Petr Lom’s BURMA STORYBOOK, on a Burmese dissident poet; and Marc Silver’s TO END A WAR, a candid look at the hardfought Colombian peace process. And the Right to Know competition features work like: Mina Keshavarz’s BRAVING THE WAVES, about an entrepreneurial Iranian woman as she faces off against local authorities; Roser Corella’s GRAB AND RUN, which explores the Kyrgyz custom of bride kidnapping; and Elina Hirvonen’s BOILING POINT, on the rise of fascistic nationalists in modern Finland.

thecoloursfilmThe festival’s many noncompetitive strands explore the migrant crisis in Dreams of Europe, with films like Pia Lenz’s I’M OKAY, which looks at two foreign youth trying to adjust to life in Germany; normalcy and difference in Who is Normal Here?, in docs including Maria Teresa Larraín’s SHADOW GIRL, following the filmmaker back to her native Chile as she loses her eyesight; the role of family, in Family Happiness, through Jasna Krajinovic’s THE EMPTY ROOM, about the family of a radicalized Belgian Muslim; society and environment, in So-Called Civilzation, with films like Fredrik Oskarsson’s NUCLEAR NEIGHBOUR, which follows a young mother’s transformation into an anti-nuclear power activist; urban space, in Faces of the City, through Anders Eklund’s GAMING THE REAL WORLD, which explores a Swedish city’s use of Minecraft to encourage participatory urban planning; media in the Power of the Media; with Hans Busstra’s CYBERJIHAD, exploring virtual world techniques used by terrorist groups; and social upheaval in Journeys to Freedom, including Alistair Cole’s COLOURS OF THE ALPHABET, which looks at the problems resulting from schooling not being done in students’ native language.

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Tempo Documentary Festival 2017 Overview

The 18th edition of Sweden’s largest nonfiction event, Tempo Documentary Festival, takes place this coming Monday, March 6 through Sunday, March 12. The fest brings more than 100 creative docs to Swedish audiences, largely curating an impressive selection of favorites from other international events, but also showcasing local work and other under-the-radar projects, including the work noted below. Continue reading →

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Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 2017 Overview

thessalonikiTonight, Friday, March 3 kicks off the 19th edition of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, one of Europe’s largest nonfiction events. Nearly 150 new and recent feature docs will screen at the event, which runs through Sunday, March 12, representing a mix of world premieres, regional debuts of other festival favorites, and a large showcase of work from within Greece and its Balkan neighbors. What follows are highlights, broken down by the fest’s many thematic sections: Continue reading →

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Tribeca 2017 Initial Lineup Announced

large_marquee-dates-and-subs-1280x720Programming for several sections of the 16th annual Tribeca Film Festival have just been announced, including the US and International Narrative Competitions, World Documentary Competition, Spotlight Narrative and Documentary, Viewpoints, and Midnight. VR ad Storyscapes will be announced tomorrow, while Galas, Closing Night, and Special Sections will be announced next Tuesday. Today’s films represent 82 out of 98 features in this year’s slimmed down presentation, including the 34 documentaries noted below: Continue reading →

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Miami 2017: Documentary Overview

miamiTomorrow, Friday, March 3 kicks off the 34th edition of the Miami Film Festival. Before wrapping on Sunday, March 12, the popular event, which offers a particular focus on Ibero-American work, will present more than 130 films, including just under 30 feature docs, some of which are noted below. Continue reading →

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In Theatres: THE SETTLERS

settlersComing to theatres this Friday, March 3:
THE SETTLERS

Director:
Shimon Dotan

Premiere:
Sundance 2016

Select Festivals:
New York, DocAviv, IDFA, Biografilm, Sheffield, SF Jewish, Bergen, Heartland

About:
A wide-reaching exploration of the impact of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories of the West Bank.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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In Theatres: KIKI

kikiComing to theatres today, Wednesday, March 1:
KIKI

Director:
Sara Jordenö

Premiere:
Sundance 2017

Select Festivals:
Berlin, IDFA, CPH:DOX, Sheffield, Tempo Doc, Sarasota, Ambulante, Full Frame, Montclair, BAMcinemaFest, Tel Aviv, Outfest, Inside Out, Frameline, and LGBT fests in Torino, Portland, Atlanta, Sao Paulo, and Austin

About:
A profile of NYC’s vibrant LGBTQ youth ballroom scene.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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On TV: TIME: THE KALIEF BROWDER STORY

time kalief browderComing to Spike TV tonight, Wednesday, March 1:
TIME: THE KALIEF BROWDER STORY

Director:
Jenner Furst

Premiere:
Sundance 2017

About:
A six-part docuseries exploring the consequences of the wrongful incarceration of a 16-year-old.

I profiled the series before Sundance here.

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True/False 2017 Overview

truefalseThe 14th edition of the True/False Film Fest takes place this weekend, starting Thursday, March 2 and wrapping on Sunday, March 5. More than 30 new and retrospective features, including several hush-hush “secret screenings,” will be showcased in the welcoming college town of Columbia MO, a line-up of highlights from notable events like Sundance, IDFA, Toronto, and elsewhere, as well as several new titles. While I’m sadly missing the festival this year, here’s a brief look at some of the new or under-the-radar titles I’d be checking out if I were in attendance:

donkeyote-featured-imageAmong these are Chico Pereira’s infectiously charming DONKEYOTE (pictured), which follows the director’s uncle as he sets off on a quixotic trip with his faithful donkey and dog; Viktor Jakovleski’s BRIMSTONE & GLORY, a portrait of a Mexican town known for its fireworks; Shevaun Mizrahi’s DISTANT CONSTELLATION, on life in an Istanbul retirement home; Florent Vassault’s LINDY LOU, JUROR NUMBER 2, which accompanies the titular figure as she revisits a trial that has haunted her for twenty years; Fan Jian’s STILL TOMORROW, a portrait of Chinese woman who experiences unexpected fame; and Lea Glob and Mette Carla Albrechtsen’s VENUS, which surveys 100 women on their sexual history.

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On DVD: KATE PLAYS CHRISTINE

kate plays christineComing to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, February 28:
KATE PLAYS CHRISTINE

Director:
Robert Greene

Premiere:
Sundance 2016

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Berlin, True/False, Indielisboa, DocAviv, Sydney, BAMcinemaFest, New Zealand, Melbourne, Sydney

About:
An actress researches a particularly challenging role.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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